Contents

Synopsis

While heading nearer to Olivine City, Ash and co. stop off at the nearest Pokémon Center where they meet a Nurse Joy who has a slight problem: She hates Water Pokémon, which upsets Misty. Why does she hate Water Pokémon, and how can she deal with it?

Episode Plot

The heroes come to a lake, which Misty recognizes it to be Lake Lucid. Brock confirms it, while Misty tells Ash any trainer on the journey must come to Lake Lucid's Pokémon Center. Ash wonders what is great about it. A person in a swim gear appears, so Brock recognizes it is a girl. Chansey come with a tank, so the person places Goldeen she carried into the tank. The person takes the gear off, revealing to be Nurse Joy. Brock flirts with her, so Misty pushes him away and is dazzled by this Nurse Joy. Joy sees Pikachu exhausted and invites him to come to the Center. Brock agrees, though Joy was referring to Pikachu, but lets the heroes in the Center as well. Misty is glad Joy is here, but Ash thinks she looks like any other Nurse Joy.

Brock shows Ash a book this Joy wrote "A Spring without Pokémon". Joy corrects Brock her grandmother wrote the book 50 years ago. Joy tells that the lake was polluted by factories, so her grandmother investigated the water and wrote what she found in the book. Ash and Misty see the water is clear. Brock finds another book, "Summer of Muk".
However, Joy admits her mother wrote the book. Her mother had workers clean up the water, which made a bunch of Grimer and Muk to appear. Still, the lake was cleaned and Water Pokémon came to live. Joy continues the tradition of cleaning the lake. A Dewgong, a Tentacool and a Gyarados appear. Joy tells she specializes in treating the Water Pokémon, who build their physical and emotional strength. Brock tells Nurse Joy he needs some emotional strength, but Misty pulls his ear, as she thinks Joy would let him down in that. Suddenly, a pair of Dewgong and Seadra battle each other. Joy tells they are just practicing. The heroes see the research Joy makes around the lake makes the lake known widely for that.

Brock admits to Joy she is most amazing and goes to get a book she wrote. Joy admits she has not written any yet, but once she does, she plans to name it "An Autumn Harvest Pokémon". Team Rocket are in a Tentacruel robot and spy on the heroes. They go to get Pikachu, but get affected by a Tentacruel, who uses Supersonic on the bot for practice. The heroes go with Joy in the Center, while Team Rocket fainted from Supersonic. Pikachu got healed up, pleasing Pikachu and Ash. Misty asks of Joy to check her Water Pokémon. However, Joy takes some steps away and admits she hates Water Pokémon. Team Rocket are in Tentacruel bot and plan on capturing some Water Pokémon as a bonus. They see a hole and think it is the entrance to the Pokémon Center, so venture in it. Ash is confused as she treated Pikachu, but Joy clarifies she hates Water Pokémon. Misty sees her wish is to meet this Nurse Joy, but turned out as a nightmare. Joy tells she can treat Water Pokémon as long as she does not touch them, hence she puts the swim gear on. Misty refuses to give Joy Pokémon, altough Joy admits she treats her patients equally. Misty will carry them herself, making Joy grateful she does not have to carry them with the gear's pincers.

Joy praises her Chansey, as due to them she does not have to touch the Water Pokémon. Brock notices a lot of water tanks. Joy tells that many Pokémon rest in the tanks, improving their health. Misty spots a Gyarados and Ash notices she is a bit scared of it. Misty sees it is true, though Nurse Joy sees she will never touch it. She tells that Gyarados have large heads, so she has it trained to build muscles to support those heads. She even has the special diets and special treatments for Water Pokémon to improve their strengths, which is why she studied the Water Pokémon. Joy plans on that theme for her new book. Misty believes it is a waste of time, since Joy wouldn't even touch Water Pokémon. Joy responds she does not have her feelings interfere in work. Misty continues that Joy does not even know what the Water Pokémon feel. Misty expresses she wanted as a kid so much to meet the Nurse Joy at Lake Lucid and have a check-up of her Water Pokémon, but now it is a disappointment. Joy admits she liked the Water Pokémon, but one day that changed.

She and her mother were investigating the Remoraid population. Joy saw a Remoraid, who used Water Gun on her face. Joy fell in the lake and was surrounded by Remoraid. The Remoraid pushed her back in the boat using Water Gun and while she was terrifed, her mother was not and thought her daughter would continue to preserve the Center. Joy admits she may not be as good as her mother or grandmother, but does her best. Misty does not see how could she do a good job the one she hates. Joy tells that she does not hate her job, but loves it as much as Lake Lucid, but does not like the Water Pokémon much. A Tentacruel comes out and Joy identifies it to be a fake. Team Rocket come out, then go back in the bot. They attempt to take Pikachu, who evades. They wrap him, but Pikachu uses Thunderbolt. Despite the Tentacruel bot made out of rubber, the bot is wet and Team Rocket get electrocuted. One of the bot's parts crashes into Gyarados' tank and activates a device, causing Team Rocket to be sucked back whence they came from.

Unofrtunately, Gyarados' tank is being damaged, so Gyarados comes out and Joy's suit gear falls in water and is sucked where Team Rocket came from. Ash and Brock go to handle Gyarados, but Joy stops them, since it is her responsibility and neither of them are nurses. Joy tells Misty her duty as a nurse comes first and she needs to heal any Pokémon. She recites she has to stay strong and honor her mother and grandmother in this. She comes to Gyarados and recites she needs to touch it at the right place. She places her hand on Gyarados, who calms down. The heroes are impressed by this decision. The Chansey come with a brace to heal Gyarados. Gyarados breathes air out on Nurse Joy, who recites that no Pokémon is better or worse and all are equal. Ash remembers those lines, so Brock lets him know it is from her grandmother's book. She also recites any song of Pokémon is sweet if it can be heard, making Misty see that line comes from her mother's book. Joy orders Chansey to take Gyarados in another water tank. She comes to the heroes and offers Misty to check her Water Pokémon. However, she faints, but Misty is proud Joy made that attempt.

Later, Joy is a bit disappointed she did not touch Misty's Pokémon, but tells they are in excellent condition, for their trainer is great. Misty thanks her, altough wonders if Joy feels the same way about Water Pokémon after touching Gyarados. Joy admits she does, but that does not stop her job as a nurse. The heroes promise to buy a copy of her book, then wave goodbye to her.

Trivia

The "Who's that Pokémon?" is Bellsprout.

Mistakes

When the heroes were observing the Water Pokémon with Nurse Joy, Magikarp had its whiskers missing.